Five candidates are competing to hold the office of police and crime commissioner (PCC) in Surrey from next month.

Surrey will go to the polls on May 6th, the same day as the council elections, and the votes will be counted on Saturday, May 8th, with the winner due to be announced that afternoon.

A PCC is elected to provide a link between the force and the community, and should be setting priorities for the police, bearing in mind what the public wants.

He or she does not serve in the police force but is there to hold them to account.

The PCC hires the top police officer – the chief constable (Gavin Stephens has been in post since 2019) – and also has the ability to remove them from office in some circumstances.

He or she also sets the police's portion of Council Tax, is given all of Surrey Police's budget (around £260 million) and is responsible for how it is spent.

PCCs are elected every four years, but last year's poll was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first person to fill the role when it began in 2012 was Kevin Hurley, elected on a 'zero-tolerance' platform.

He was defeated in the 2016 election by David Munro, who stood as a Conservative but later served as an independent.

Both are putting themselves forward again this time for the £71,400-a-year role.

Here are all the candidates, along with their campaign website address.

Kevin Hurley, Independent

Kevin Hurley previously served in the Metropolitan Police and also served in Iraq as a Territorial Army officer. He was Surrey's first PCC, between 2012 and 2016.

Howard Kaye, Labour

Howard Kaye is a train driver who is a member of the trade union ASLEF, and ran against Jeremy Hunt for the South West Surrey seat in the 2015 general election.

Paul Kennedy, Liberal Democrat

Paul Kennedy is a former barrister, accountant and actuary, and is currently a Mole Valley District Councillor for Fetcham West.

David Munro, Independent

David Munro was formerly a Major in the Royal Engineers and a Surrey county councillor, and has been Surrey's PCC since 2016.

Lisa Townsend, Conservative

Lisa Townsend is a law graduate who works in communications, and ran against Clive Lewis for the Norwich South seat in the 2015 general election.